Guilt by Association

Barack Obama has been tied to dangerous bomb throwing radical (?) William Ayers because Obama and Ayers were on the same charity board for several years.  Now, mind you, no one is questioning Barack's patriotism, or whether Barack is himself a dangerous (black) bomb throwing radical.  All folks are saying is they just need some "answers" because of Barack's "associations."

OK.  Fine by me.

Let's look at the current Board for the Woods Fund of Chicago, and just see where this goes:

Laura S. Washington, Board Chair*
Ida B. Wells-Barnett University Professor and Fellow of the DePaul Humanities Center

Jesus G. Garcia, Vice Chair*
Executive Director, Little Village Community Development Corporation

William C. Ayers
Distinguished Professor of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago

Lee Bey
Director of Media and Governmental Affairs, Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill LLP

Doris Salomon Chagin
Category Manager - Ethnic Markets, BP Products North America

Beth E. Richie
Professor and Head of the Department of African American Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago

Patrick M. Sheahan
Executive Director, Public Affairs, UBS Investment Bank

Charles N. Wheatley
President, Sahara Enterprises, Inc.

Lucia Woods Lindley
Board Member Emeritus

...Note, snuggled conspiratorially in this tight knit group of radical crazys, you'll see the name of one "William C. Ayers, Distinguished Professor of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago."

If Barack's reputation has been slimed by association with Mr. Ayers on this Board, then so have Mr. Shehan of UBS Investment Bank, Ms. Chagin of BP Products and Lee Bay of Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill, an old line Chicago architectural firm.

However, I need some help on this...

By associating themselves with Mr. Ayers, did these folks (and their associated businesses) become radical bomb throwing 60's sympathizers?

Or, did Mr. Ayers, by associating himself with these folks, become a closet investment banker, architect or multi-national energy company?

Or, should I take a "reality based" approach to this and presume that these are just good people exercising their constitutional right of association in order to do good works in the Chicago Community.

I'm kinda new at this GBA stuff (since I was only a year or two old during the McCarthy hearings), so could some of you put on your right wing thinking caps and help me with this?

•  Tips for the snarkilly confused...

  by briefer on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 02:49:51 AM PDT

•  I really couldn't have put it better. Remember..

  though the cowardice of Hillary.  She didn't even have the guts to do it herself, but rather said that she agreed, but Republicans would say...

  It was disgusting and wrong, and I don't know why Obama has to go through this and Hillary and John are immune.  Heck, Hillary even brought up Farrahkan again, even though we went through the whole "denounce" and "reject" fiasco to cater to her pettiness.  Obama has absolutely no connection to Farrahkan, and yet he is still being required to answer for him.  It makes me want to puke.

  by MrWinky on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 02:50:16 AM PDT

  •  As Obama supporters

    are we guilty for associating with Obama who associates with Ayers?

    Or, are we guilty of associating with Obama who supports Woods Fund who has UBI on the board?

    Puzzle.

    by briefer on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 03:08:17 AM PDT